An apparatus for controlling start-up of a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS) which prevents lane departure of a first vehicle includes a detecting unit configured to detect a second vehicle which is traveling in a neighboring lane, a dividing line interposed between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, and a start-up controlling unit configured to determine a weighting factor based on a detection result of the detecting unit, change parameters which control a time point of the start-up of the LKAS based on the determined weighting factor, and control the time point of the start-up of the LKAS based on the changed parameters.
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1. An apparatus for activating a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS) which prevents a lane departure of a first vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a sensor and a processor coupled to the sensor, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising: receiving a detection signal from the sensor; detecting whether a second vehicle is traveling in a neighboring lane based on the received detection signal; generating a dividing line interposed between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the detection of the second vehicle; determining a weighting factor (α) based on the dividing line; and calculating a time to start-up the LKAS based on the weighting factor (α).
An apparatus for activating a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS) in a vehicle to prevent lane departures. It includes a sensor (like ultrasonic or laser) and a processor. The processor receives data from the sensor, detects if another vehicle is in a neighboring lane, and calculates an imaginary dividing line between the two vehicles. Based on the position of this dividing line, the processor determines a "weighting factor" (α). This weighting factor is then used to calculate the time remaining until the LKAS should activate.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising: calculating a first offset value (ε) which represents a distance from the first vehicle to the dividing line; and calculating a time to lane crossing (TTLC), which represents an expected time required for the first vehicle to arrive at the dividing line, based on the first offset value (ε) and the weighting factor (α).
This apparatus for activating LKAS (described in the previous claim) also calculates a "first offset value" (ε) representing the distance from the vehicle to the dividing line between lanes. It then uses both this offset value (ε) and the weighting factor (α) to compute the "time to lane crossing" (TTLC), which is the estimated time it will take for the vehicle to reach the lane dividing line. The weighting factor adjusts how aggressively the system reacts based on nearby vehicles.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising: multiplying the weighting factor (α) and the first offset value (ε) to determine a second offset value (ε′); and replacing the first offset value (ε) with the second offset value (ε′).
This apparatus for activating LKAS (described in the earlier claims) further refines its calculations by multiplying the weighting factor (α) and the initial offset value (ε) to create a new "second offset value" (ε′). Then, it replaces the original offset value (ε) with this adjusted value (ε′). This effectively modifies the perceived distance to the lane marker based on the weighting factor, influencing when the LKAS starts.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform operations comprising: calculating a first weighting factor (α 1 ) when the second vehicle is not detected; and calculating a second weighting factor (α 2 ) which is smaller than the first weighting factor (α 1 ) when the second vehicle is detected.
In this apparatus for activating LKAS (as described in previous claims), the weighting factor (α) is dynamically adjusted. When no other vehicles are detected in the neighboring lane, a "first weighting factor" (α1) is calculated. When another vehicle *is* detected, a "second weighting factor" (α2) is calculated, which is *smaller* than the first. This means the LKAS will react less aggressively when another vehicle is nearby.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the second weighting factor (α 2 ) is proportional to a distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.
Continuing with the apparatus for activating LKAS (described in the previous claims), when a second vehicle is detected, the "second weighting factor" (α2) is not only smaller than when no vehicle is detected, but it is also *proportional to the distance* between the first vehicle and the second vehicle. Thus, the further away the second vehicle is, the closer α2 will be to α1, and the less the LKAS activation will be affected.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.
This apparatus for activating LKAS (as described in claim 1) uses an *ultrasonic sensor* to detect vehicles in neighboring lanes. The ultrasonic sensor provides the detection signal used for determining the presence of another vehicle and calculating the dividing line.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a laser sensor.
This apparatus for activating LKAS (as described in claim 1) uses a *laser sensor* to detect vehicles in neighboring lanes. The laser sensor provides the detection signal used for determining the presence of another vehicle and calculating the dividing line.
8. A method for activating a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS) configured to be applied to a first vehicle, the method comprising: receiving, by a processor of an apparatus, a detection signal from a sensor of the apparatus; detecting, by the processor, whether a second vehicle is traveling in a neighboring lane based on the received detection signal; generating, by the processor, a dividing line interposed between the first vehicle and the second vehicle based on the detection of the second vehicle; determining a weighting factor (α) based on the dividing line; and calculating, by the processor, a time to start-up the LKAS based on the weighting factor (α).
A method for activating a lane keeping assistance system (LKAS) in a vehicle involves these steps: First, a processor receives a signal from a sensor. The processor then determines if another vehicle is in a neighboring lane based on the signal. An imaginary dividing line is generated between the two vehicles. Next, a "weighting factor" (α) is determined based on this dividing line. Finally, the time remaining until the LKAS should activate is calculated based on the weighting factor (α).
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein calculating the time to start up the LKAS further comprises: calculating, by the processor, a first offset value (ε) which represents a distance from the first vehicle to the dividing line; and calculating, by the processor, a time to lane crossing (TTLC), which represents an expected time for the first vehicle required to arrive at the dividing line, based on the first offset value (ε) and the weighting factor (α).
This method for activating LKAS (described in the previous claim) refines the calculation of the startup time. First, it calculates a "first offset value" (ε) that represents the distance from the vehicle to the dividing line. Then, it calculates the "time to lane crossing" (TTLC) – the estimated time until the vehicle reaches the dividing line – using both the offset value (ε) and the weighting factor (α). The weighting factor adjusts the urgency based on nearby vehicles.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein calculating the time to start-up the LKAS further comprises: multiplying, by the processor, the weighting factor (α) and the first offset value (ε) to determine a second offset value (ε′); and replacing, by the processor, the first offset value (ε) with the second offset value (ε′).
This method for activating LKAS (described in the previous claims) further modifies the offset value. The weighting factor (α) is multiplied by the initial offset value (ε) to create a new "second offset value" (ε′). This second offset value (ε′) then replaces the original offset value (ε) in further calculations. This changes the perceived distance to the lane marker based on the weighting factor, influencing the LKAS activation.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the weighting factor (α) further comprises: calculating, by the processor, a first weighting factor (α 1 ) when the second vehicle is not detected; and calculating, by the processor, a second weighting factor (α 2 ) which is smaller than the first weighting factor (α 1 ) when the second vehicle is detected.
In this method for activating LKAS (described in the previous claims), the weighting factor (α) is determined dynamically. When no second vehicle is detected in the neighboring lane, a "first weighting factor" (α1) is calculated. If another vehicle *is* detected, a "second weighting factor" (α2) is calculated, which is *smaller* than the first. Thus the LKAS reacts less aggressively when other vehicles are present.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the determining of the weighting factor (α) further comprises: determining, by the processor, that the second weighting factor (α 2 ) is proportional to a distance from the first vehicle to the second vehicle.
Continuing with the method for activating LKAS (described in the previous claims), when a second vehicle *is* detected, the "second weighting factor" (α2) is not only smaller than when no vehicle is detected, but also *proportional to the distance* between the first and second vehicles. This means that the further away the second vehicle is, the less the LKAS activation time is affected.
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December 2, 2015
June 13, 2017
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